Blair Apologizes For Intelligence Flaws, Denies Deception

October 14, 2004|By Patrick E. Tyler The New York Times

LONDON — Prime Minister Tony Blair on Wednesday gave his most explicit apology to date for the flawed intelligence assessments upon which he took Britain to war in Iraq, but he rejected opposition accusations that he had misrepresented that intelligence.

"I take full responsibility and apologize for any information given in good faith that has subsequently turned out to be wrong," Blair told the House of Commons during a spirited exchange with opposition members.

"What I do not in any way accept is that there was a deception of anyone," Blair said. "I will not apologize for removing Saddam Hussein. I will not apologize for the conflict. I believe it was right then, is right now and essential for the wider security of that region and the world."

Though Blair made a muscular defense of his position, his remarks Wednesday reflected his careful management of the issue in Parliament, where a large fraction of his Labor Party is in rebellion over the Iraq policy.

Together with opposition members, they have been demanding an apology of some sort for mistakes about the existence of prewar weapons stockpiles and for inadequate planning for stabilizing and rebuilding Iraq.

Britain's MI6 intelligence service has been forced to retract its assertions that Hussein had stockpiled chemical and biological weapons and that such weapons could be deployed on 45 minutes' notice, a claim that helped to galvanize British public opinion in favor of war.

Michael Howard, the Conservative opposition leader who supported the war, rose to confront Blair over his handling of the intelligence that led up to it.

He said that before Blair could move on politically, "there is one matter that you must deal with: You didn't accurately report the intelligence you received to the country."

Blair accused Howard of playing politics over the issue of faulty intelligence, and seemed to borrow a line from President Bush by questioning Howard's support for British troops. British forces in Iraq number 9,165, a Ministry of Defense spokeswoman said Wednesday.

"Remember that he and his party supported the war for precisely the same reasons as we did," Blair said, adding, "It would be more helpful if he would back our troops out in Iraq rather than doing what he is doing now."

But Howard retorted calmly: "We back our troops wholeheartedly. I didn't ask him to apologize for the war, because I support it. I didn't ask him either to apologize for what he describes as the information.

"I asked him very specifically about the way he misrepresented the intelligence he received to the country. Why can't you bring yourself to say sorry for that?"

Blair responded: "I cannot bring myself to say that I misrepresented the evidence, since I do not accept that I did."